Bruce, Lions playing sweet music together

Latest News

TERRY KOSHAN, QMI Agency

Sep 1, 2011

, Last Updated: 11:23 PM ET

TORONTO - Long after Arland Bruce III’s football career is over, he wants it to seem as if he never left.

The always-intriguing Bruce makes another return to the Rogers Centre on Friday night, this time as a member of the B.C. Lions, more than two years after the Argos unwisely traded him to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Bruce, 33, knows how to entertain, and not just because he maintains the ability to be a prolific football player. Back in Kansas City, where he spends the off-season, he has a record label, MMR Worldwide, and he has produced five songs that specifically were written for Canadian Football League teams. A song he penned for the Argos in 2009, This is Our League, still can be heard when the Argos score at the Rogers Centre.

“When I introduced that song in Toronto, the coach at the time (Bart Andrus) liked it, the commissioner (Mark Cohon) liked it,” Bruce said on Thursday.

“It’s a franchise song they can use until the CFL never exists.

“It’s something I wanted to give back to the league, because the league has done so much for me, as a man, as an athlete. It’s about giving back to the country. I have another song called Loonies and Toonies. This is my home now.”

Bruce said he is working on songs for the Montreal Alouettes, Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He had one nearly done for the Bombers, but wants to re-work it so it includes references to Swaggerville.

Music aside, Bruce has been getting in tune with the Lions, who acquired him from the Ticats last month. The veteran savvy that Bruce brings has dove-tailed with the leadership of Geroy Simon, and Lions quarterback Travis Lulay has benefited.

Bruce, in the Lions’ most recent game, had two touchdowns and 129 yards receiving, numbers that earned him CFL offensive player of the week honours.

“Having Arland allows the learning curve to be a little quicker,” Lulay said, referring to his personal progress. “He has been great. The biggest thing is him coming in and being a pro. He has been getting comfortable with what we are doing so he can play confidently and let his athletic ability take over. That boosts the confidence on the offensive side of the football.”

While Bruce said he has great memories about his time in Double Blue (never mind the Andrus era), he will happily strike a nail into the Argos’ playoff hopes if he can. Both the Argos and Lions are 2-6 as they head into a home-and-home set.

“Any time you can spoil somebody’s party, man, I want to be part of that,” Bruce said. “I have been on the other side of that where somebody has spoiled our party to get to the playoffs. I got my old Argos jersey if they want to retire it at half time or something like that.”